Best Free Mac Cleaners in 2026: 9 Apps Ranked

Last verified 4 October 2026. The best free Mac cleaner is a combination, not one app: AppCleaner to remove apps completely, GrandPerspective to see what is filling your disk, and the Storage settings macOS already includes. Most all-in-one "free" cleaners are trials that scan for free and charge to clean, so the 9 apps below are ranked by what they do for $0, how little they risk deleting, and whether they run on a current Apple silicon Mac. Apple says macOS clears caches and logs that are safe to delete when space is needed, so a cleaner only earns its place by doing something macOS does not: finishing an uninstall, showing which folder holds the space, or running maintenance tasks.

Toolradar data: of the 113 tools in our file management category, 31 are completely free and another 41 are freemium, though that category also covers cloud storage and document tools, not only Mac utilities.

Quick Comparison

Our picks: the best free Mac cleaners, ranked

1. AppCleaner

AppCleaner does one job: drop an app onto its window, it lists the related files scattered around your system, and one click deletes them. FreeMacSoft lists no price and offers a Donate button. It fills a gap Apple describes itself. For a third-party app that has no uninstaller, Apple's instructions are to drag it to the Trash, and Apple says an app's own uninstaller is "the best way to delete the app and any login items, extensions, or other data the app might have stored in other locations."

Version 3.7 (22 September 2026) adds support for macOS 27 and prompts for Full Disk Access, because without it "some files may fail to be removed." Native Apple M1 support arrived in version 3.6. Version 3.7 needs macOS 15 or later, and 3.6.8 covers macOS 10.14 up to 15.6.

Pick it if you want one free utility that deletes apps completely and does nothing else.

2. GrandPerspective

GrandPerspective draws your disk as a treemap: every file is a rectangle sized to match, and files in the same folder sit together, so the folder holding most of your space stands out. It is open source under the GNU GPL, free from SourceForge or $2.99 in the Mac App Store.

You can preview files with Quick Look, reveal them in Finder, delete from the view, and rescan to compare before and after a cleanup. It also handles hard-linked folders, so it can analyze Time Machine backups. Version 3.8.1 (September 2026) runs on Apple silicon or Intel and requires macOS 14 or later.

Pick it if you want to see where your space went before deleting anything.

3. OnyX

OnyX from Titanium Software is a free maintenance utility the developer has built since 2003 and funds through donations. It verifies the structure of system files, deletes caches, rebuilds databases and indexes, uninstalls applications, and exposes Finder, Dock and Safari settings. It fronts tasks that otherwise need Terminal commands, so read what each one does before you run it.

Each macOS release gets its own version, and the author says to use the matching one. OnyX 5.1.0 (15 September 2026) is for macOS 27 and needs Apple silicon. OnyX 5.0.6 for macOS 26, and builds back to macOS 11, run on Intel or Apple silicon.

Pick it if you are comfortable with advanced tasks and want maintenance tools rather than a one-click cleaner.

4. BuhoCleaner

BuhoCleaner is the closest thing here to a one-click cleaner with a usable free tier. Its trial guide says the free version removes up to 3 GB of files (after that you delete manually) and can free up RAM, while one-click app uninstallation and junk cleanup need a license. It also includes large-file and duplicate finders and a disk space analyzer.

Dr.Buho lists one Mac at $39.99 for a year or $67.99 for a lifetime license, prices include tax, and a 30-day money-back guarantee applies. An autumn sale currently shows $17.99 and $25.99. It runs natively on M1 to M5 Macs and Intel, and the page says it is optimized for macOS 27. It is sold outside the App Store, where Dr.Buho says Apple's restrictions block safe tasks such as cleaning system logs.

Pick it if you want a one-click scan with a real free allowance and may pay later.

5. CCleaner for Mac

CCleaner for Mac has a free tier that does real work. Its comparison table shows free covering unwanted clutter cleanup, duplicate finding, redundant app uninstalling and startup item management for one Mac. The paid Professional tier adds photo analysis, automatic browser cleaning, bookmark import and automatic Trash emptying, and Professional Plus covers 3 devices.

Compatibility is the open question. The product page lists macOS 10.12 to 13 as requirements, the download page says 64-bit macOS 10.10 and above, and neither mentions Apple silicon or newer macOS releases. Confirm it runs on your Mac before cleaning anything with it.

Pick it if you already know CCleaner from Windows and are on a macOS version it lists.

6. OmniDiskSweeper

OmniDiskSweeper from The Omni Group lists the files on your drive from largest to smallest and lets you Trash or open them, as a plain sorted list. Omni has called it "our free app for freeing up disk space," and its 1.10 release made Trash the default instead of deleting outright. The current download is 1.16.

Omni's page lists compatibility only for older versions, so it does not state a macOS or Apple silicon requirement for the current build.

Pick it if you prefer a plain sorted list to a treemap.

7. Pearcleaner

Pearcleaner is a free app uninstaller with extras: orphaned file search, a Homebrew manager, a Finder right-click extension, and a monitor that cleans up automatically when an app goes to the Trash. Its license is Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, which the README calls source-available and fair-code. That is not open source in the usual sense, and it forbids selling the app or modified versions.

Two cautions. The README says the project is on hold: development basically stopped at the end of 2025, and its support table lists macOS 13 to 26 but not macOS 27. It also warns that anything other than the author's own site offering Pearcleaner downloads is "either a scam or not affiliated with me," so install from GitHub releases or Homebrew.

Pick it if you want AppCleaner plus orphan-file search and run macOS 26 or earlier.

8. CleanMyMac

CleanMyMac from MacPaw is the best-known all-in-one cleaner, and it is a trial, not a free app. MacPaw lists a free 7-day trial with full functionality on the MacPaw Store, the App Store and Setapp. Its support page for the older CleanMyMac X says that without a trial or paid plan you can scan, but cleanup, maintenance and optimization steps are locked.

MacPaw's site says plans start at $3.33 a month. On the US Mac App Store the yearly plan is $39.99 and the monthly plan is $9.99, and the listing says you are charged automatically after the trial. A one-time purchase covers only the current major version. The current release supports macOS 11 to 27, though MacPaw's pages do not state Apple silicon support separately.

Pick it if you want malware scanning, an uninstaller and cleanup in one app and will pay after a week.

9. DaisyDisk

DaisyDisk is a paid disk analyzer at $9.99 one time, built around deleting your own big files rather than clearing caches. The direct-download edition has a free trial with no time limit: you can scan disks, browse the sunburst map and preview files, but you cannot delete found files, scan as administrator or scan cloud storage until you buy. DaisyDisk's guide says the App Store edition has no trial.

Deleted files are removed permanently rather than sent to the Trash, and the app will not accept folders such as /System or /Library. DaisyDisk says it supports Apple M5 and earlier and macOS Tahoe and earlier, and does not mention macOS 27.

Pick it if you only need to find and delete large files and can pay $9.99.

How to choose a free Mac cleaner

Start with what macOS already does. Open System Settings, click General, then Storage. Apple lists three recommendations: Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage and Empty Trash automatically. The last erases items that have been in the Trash for more than 30 days, and you can also set it in Finder under Settings, Advanced. When space is needed, Apple says macOS "also clears caches and logs that are safe to delete, including temporary database files, interrupted downloads, staged macOS and app updates, Safari website data, and more." Store in iCloud uses your iCloud plan, which Apple lists from 50 GB at $0.99 a month.

Match the tool to the problem. Missing space: GrandPerspective or DaisyDisk. Leftovers from deleted apps: AppCleaner or Pearcleaner. Maintenance: OnyX. One-click cleanup: BuhoCleaner, CCleaner or CleanMyMac, none of which is fully free.

Treat scary scan results as marketing. The FTC says real security pop-up warnings never ask you to call a phone number. Apple says a notarized app has been checked for malicious software, which is not the same as being safe to let loose on your files. Do not hand-delete inside /System or /Library unless you know exactly what a file is.

Back up first. Apple notes that items emptied from the Trash are permanently deleted and suggests Time Machine backups. See our page for Time Machine, and our guide to the best antivirus for Mac if malware is the worry.

Check your macOS version. macOS 27 is out. OnyX, AppCleaner, BuhoCleaner and CleanMyMac name support for it, and the other apps here do not mention it.

FAQ

What is the best free Mac cleaner?

AppCleaner for removing apps, GrandPerspective for finding large files and OnyX for maintenance. All three are free, and none promises a one-click fix. If you want one-click cleanup, BuhoCleaner's free version removes up to 3 GB.

Do I need a Mac cleaner at all?

Usually not. Apple's guide to freeing up storage (published 6 July 2026) never mentions third-party cleaners. It lists deleting media you can stream or download again, clearing Downloads, removing old iPhone backups, uninstalling unused apps and emptying the Trash.

Is CleanMyMac free?

No. It is a 7-day full trial followed by a paid plan. MacPaw says plans start at $3.33 a month, and the US Mac App Store lists the yearly plan at $39.99.

Is MacKeeper free?

MacKeeper is subscription software. Its pricing page lists a 1-month plan for one Mac at $10.95 billed monthly, plus 12-month plans billed every year. Its free-versus-full table shows junk and unused-app removal available once and real-time protection for one week, so the free version is a sampler and it is not ranked here.

What is System Data and can I delete it?

Apple describes System Data (or Other) as a general category covering all Apple and third-party files that do not belong to a more specific category. Open Storage settings and click More Info beside a category first. DaisyDisk can break the category down, but delete only files you recognize.

Will these apps run on an Apple silicon Mac?

Yes for most. AppCleaner, GrandPerspective, OnyX, BuhoCleaner and DaisyDisk state Apple silicon support. CCleaner, OmniDiskSweeper and Pearcleaner do not say, and CleanMyMac lists macOS versions without naming chips.

Bottom line

Use Apple's Storage settings first and turn on Empty Trash automatically. Then install AppCleaner and GrandPerspective, which cost nothing and cover most of what cleaners promise. Add OnyX only if you want maintenance tools, and try BuhoCleaner's 3 GB free allowance if you want a one-click scan. Skip any app whose scan claims your Mac is in danger, and pay for CleanMyMac or DaisyDisk only after their trials show you something the free apps missed.